IÖR-Texte

Nr. 143

Housing versus nature: Land use change at the urban edge ? the case of Pickerington Ponds in Nowhereland

Bernhard Müller

"Housing versus nature: Land use change at the urban edge ? the case of Pickerington Ponds in Nowhereland" is a planning game which was developed on the basis of a reallife case. It can be played in two versions. One version (A) is based on the suggestion that Nowhereland has adopted a legal framework/planning system which resembles in many aspects the US-American one. The other version (B) is based on the assumption that the legal framework/planning system of Nowhereland resembles in many aspects the one of Germany.

Consequently, the planning game may be played by one group of 10-15 persons or by two groups of 10 persons each. If the game is played by one group, two versions regarding the legal framework (planning system) may be chosen. If the game is played by two groups, it is advisable that each group plays a different version. In this case it is recommended to compare the outcomes of the two groups and to discuss the differences in the legal framework (planning system) of the two versions.

The paper contains all materials needed to play the planning game. It consists of three parts: I - General background (public information for all players) II - Background regarding the specific situation and the planning system (public information for all players according to the version played) III- Role instructions (specific information for each player which shall be kept secret)